He also launched his flagship Restoring Neighborhoods Workforce (RENEW) initiative in 2013, teaching individuals in custody marketable job skills in the field of deconstruction while taking down dilapidated vacant housing in distressed suburban Cook County communities. Sheriff Dart regularly holds job fairs in the Cook County Jail’s Mental Health Transition Center, directly connecting minimum security individuals in custody with prospective employers. The expungement reform legislation marks the latest step in Sheriff Dart’s push to encourage job opportunities for non-violent ex-offenders, a campaign of which Crain’s Chicago recently editorialized in support. ![]() Sheriff Dart strongly feels that the expungement application fee of $120 or more serves as an irrational and unjust burden for people who have had charges dropped or were found not guilty. The inability to overcome the legal and financial burdens of securing expungements often locks non-violent offenders out of the job market, substantially increasing their rates of recidivating back into Cook County Jail. “This legislation will disrupt that insidious practice, while giving both non-violent ex-offenders as well as the falsely accused opportunities to restore their good names and pursue long-term employment and stability.”Īccording to Sheriff’s Office research, 17 percent of the more than 70,000 people who enter Cook County Jail every year get released as a result of having their cases dropped or being found not guilty, and this does not even take into account those who could afford to pay their bonds or were given house arrest. “For far too long, government has filled its coffers with overly punitive criminal justice policies directed at the poor and vulnerable,” said Sheriff Dart. HB 6328 marks the first legislation in Illinois history that would actually make it less burdensome for individuals to expunge parts of their arrest records. The bill does not expand the offenses for which expungement relief is available. Eliminates the fee of $120 or more to apply for expungements for those who have had their charges dropped.Under current law, anyone with a previous conviction for any offense – no matter how long ago – is barred from applying for arrest expungements. Allows people to seek expungements of arrests where the charges were dropped (or found not guilty) even if they have previous unrelated convictions on their record.HB 6328 removes two critical barriers for pursuing arrest expungements: Dart passed the Illinois House today with bi-partisan support. “I will be supporting these (measures) reluctantly.Historic expungement and sealing reform legislation drafted and supported by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. “Challenging times require challenging actions,” said Commissioner Peter Silvestri, R-Elmwood Park. Most commissioners stressed the unprecedented times the crisis has thrown Cook County into and said Preckwinkle has stepped up to the plate in responding to the pandemic. Such decisions need to be made “quickly” given that vendors are selling out, Guzman said. Guzman said during the meeting that emergency transfers have been used in the past two months to buy supplies such as PPE for Cook County Health, Cook County’s Department of Public Health and the Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security. “Working together, broaching questions and thinking about the different items and … the reflection of how those budget items come to pass and the checks and balances generally result in a better work product,” Degnen said. It was approved 15-2, with Commissioners Bridget Degnen, D-Chicago, and Morrison voting no while calling for more board meetings on budget items. Part of the disaster resolution includes allowing county Budget Director Annette Guzman to approve budgetary transfer requests greater than $50,000. “These are incredibly difficult times for our residents and this measure creates much-needed breathing room for Cook County property owners,” Preckwinkle said in a statement last week. 3, when the second installment of 2019 bills is due, but this year any payments made by October will be considered on time. The late fee would normally be charged each month starting Aug. I think for us to try to stifle this county moving forward is irresponsible.”Ĭommissioners also voted unanimously to not collect the 1.5% interest rate on late property tax payments until Oct. ![]() ![]() We haven’t had a pandemic like this before. “Everything that we’ve given you the opportunity to do, you’ve done it in accordance with the law, so I don’t see any reason why anyone should be in opposition,” Sims said.
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